Denim Solves Everything got the chance to talk to Justin about Craft Spell's new album, Nausea, out today.
Denim Solves Everything: It’s been awhile since your last release, the EP Gallery, what have you been up to in the meantime?
Justin Vallesteros: I've been spending my time reading recording and hanging out with close friends. Been in and out of Seattle, San Francisco and lathrop.
DSE: “Komorebi”, a track from your upcoming album, Nausea, harkens a different sound. Rather than jangly guitars and backing synth, theres predominantly moving, shifting soundscapes. What changed production wise, between 2011’s Idol Labor, and Nausea?
JK: I wouldn't let myself cement Idle Labor's sound to my name since craft spells is just me, I changed drastically in 4 years like everyone else in life and my music is the best representation of that time in flux.
DSE: Your lyrics have always held a keen emotional aesthestic, and openness, and a detail for imagery. Although on “Komorebi”, the mood seems somber, and even a tad bittersweet. The music reflects this as well, with a beautiful string accompaniment. Why the shift?
JK: I wanted to make a record for myself and others who like to sit and reflect with accompaniment to music. It's hard to feel much of anything at all with guitar music these days, it's almost becoming redundant. Im able to express myself with more than just a guitar with delay and reverb so I just went ahead and tried to make something organically pretty.
DSE: Looking at the other single released, “Breaking the Angle Against the Tide”, a frenetic tidal wave of strings, synth and soft guitar, the upcoming album seems to offer new extremes to your work, both lyrically and sonically. What are the themes the album explores, and is there an overarching theme?
JK: The theme is the grey area between living in limbo with reality and what's kind of caked up to be what you make of reality; The dizzying effect of wanting to be in both.
Denim Solves Everything: It’s been awhile since your last release, the EP Gallery, what have you been up to in the meantime?
Justin Vallesteros: I've been spending my time reading recording and hanging out with close friends. Been in and out of Seattle, San Francisco and lathrop.
DSE: “Komorebi”, a track from your upcoming album, Nausea, harkens a different sound. Rather than jangly guitars and backing synth, theres predominantly moving, shifting soundscapes. What changed production wise, between 2011’s Idol Labor, and Nausea?
JK: I wouldn't let myself cement Idle Labor's sound to my name since craft spells is just me, I changed drastically in 4 years like everyone else in life and my music is the best representation of that time in flux.
DSE: Your lyrics have always held a keen emotional aesthestic, and openness, and a detail for imagery. Although on “Komorebi”, the mood seems somber, and even a tad bittersweet. The music reflects this as well, with a beautiful string accompaniment. Why the shift?
JK: I wanted to make a record for myself and others who like to sit and reflect with accompaniment to music. It's hard to feel much of anything at all with guitar music these days, it's almost becoming redundant. Im able to express myself with more than just a guitar with delay and reverb so I just went ahead and tried to make something organically pretty.
DSE: Looking at the other single released, “Breaking the Angle Against the Tide”, a frenetic tidal wave of strings, synth and soft guitar, the upcoming album seems to offer new extremes to your work, both lyrically and sonically. What are the themes the album explores, and is there an overarching theme?
JK: The theme is the grey area between living in limbo with reality and what's kind of caked up to be what you make of reality; The dizzying effect of wanting to be in both.